Amelia Blu-ray Review
February 7, 2010 by Admin/Neil
Filed under 2010 Blu-ray Reviews
Amelia is the romantic, dramatic and heroic biopic story of Amelia Earhart. Available for the first time on Blu-ray February 2nd from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, the movie tells the legendary story of “The Queen of the Air” and her bold efforts to make history for solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, all the way through her strange disappearance on July 2nd, 1937.
Amelia Earhart (2 Time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank for Million Dollar Baby and Boys Don’t Cry) was so committed to her flying ambitions that she initially spurned the romantic overtures from business partner George Putnam (Golden Globe winner Richard Gere for Chicago and Pretty Woman). However, after deciding she could balance marriage and flying, Amelia agreed and the two became the power couple of flight in the first half of the 20th century. George provided financial backing and moral support while Amelia logged countless miles in pursuit of history.
It was not just flying and marriage that dominated Amelia’s time. Soon after she became the first lady of flying, Amelia took on a new role as a celebrity, often requested for events as prominent as those hosted by the president and other political representatives. She took on the exhausting task of not only being its main act, but also the lead promoter of the women in flight movement.
The film shows that Amelia Earhart was far from a perfect individual. She hada passionate affair with Gene Vidal (Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor for Moulin Rouge). But her husband’s enduring love and commitment helped sway Amelia to realize he was the only man for her. Their ability to maintain their marriage bond, helped them remain strong partners in business.
Directed by Mira Nair (Vanity Fair and Moonsoon Wedding) Amelia is an interesting biography about one of the most historical women of the 20th century. The film is more valuable as a historical depiction of Amelia’s story than it is a classic drama built to last as an entertainment product.
Swank, Gere and McGregor are certainly a top flight trio in terms of acting talent. Swank is brilliant in her lead role, as usual, but her on screen chemistry with Gere is not quite as believable as romances either have had with other lead partners. The movie tries to balance the romance and flying that were pervasive in Earhart’s life. This is a difficult balance to manage and appease audiences who want either a romance story or an biographical action flick.
Still, the Amelia Blu-ray is a nice adventure with high quality Blu-ray graphics technology.
Amelia Blu-ray Disc Special Features include:
Disc One
● Theatrical version
● Deleted scenes
● Making Amelia
● The Power of Amelia Earhart
● The Plane Behind the Legend
● Re-constructing the Planes of Amelia
● Movietone News
Disc Two
● Digital Copy
- Actors: Scott Anderson, Richard Donat, Christopher Eccleston, Richard Gere, Thomas Hauff
- Format: AC-3, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of discs: 2
- Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- Blu-ray Release Date: February 2, 2010
- Run Time: 111 minutes
Amelia Blu-ray Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews
The Last King of Scotland Blu-ray Review
February 6, 2010 by Admin/Neil
Filed under 2010 Blu-ray Reviews
The Last King of Scotland is the crowning achievement in an accomplished career for actor Forest Whitaker. He delivered an Oscar® winning performance as the notorious Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in this 2006 film inspired by real people and events, available for the first time on Blu-ray February 2nd from Twentieth Century Fox and MGM Home Entertainment.
From Director Kevin Macdonald, the gripping and suspenseful incredible story of Amin’s rule is told through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a young Scotsman who becomes the volatile leader’s personal physician, due in part to Amin’s unexpected passion for Scottish culture. Amin even proclaims himself “The Last King of Scotland.” Seduced by his charisma and blinded by decadence, Garrigan’s dream life becomes a waking nightmare of betrayal and madness from which there is no escape.
The Last King of Scotland is a very dramatic and riveting depiction of the existence of one of the world’s most volatile and ruthless rulers. Forest Whitaker is brilliant, as evidenced by his many awards. What is most amazing about his performance is how much of a stretch it is from his more typical, soft-spoken supporting roles. As in the role he played in Phenomenon as the meek friend to John Travolta’s character.
This movie offers both a lesson on global politics and an entertaining and captivating drama film experience. McAvoy does a great job in his starring role despite the fact that his efforts were underappreciated compared to the many awards collected by Whitaker. The two play brilliantly together and have a natural chemistry that you might expect the real personalities they represent to possess. One, a harsh leader, the other, a reluctant but committed asssistant.
The Last King of Scotland is Rated R for some strong violence, graphic images, sexual content and language. While these thematic elements certainly are necesssary given the nature of the story, they make the film too extreme for young audiences.
The Last King of Scotland Blu-ray special features include:
- Nine deleted scenes
- Fox Movie Channel Presents Casting Session – The Last King Of Scotland
- Theatrical Trailer
The Last King of Scotland Blu-ray Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews
Walk the Line Blu-ray Review
February 6, 2010 by Admin/Neil
Filed under 2010 Blu-ray Reviews
One of Reese Witherspoon’s Best Movies comes to Blu-ray on February 2nd from Twentieth Century Fox and MGM Home Entertainment. Witherspoon delivered an Academy Award® winning performance as June Carter and Joaquin Phoenix was nominated for an Oscar for his starring role as Johnny Cash in the James Mangold directed 2005 filmed biopic drama Walk the Line, celebrating the life and story of the “Man in Black”.
Johnny Cash is one of the legends of music and Walk the Line is a brilliantly presented portrayal of the trials and tribulations and the ups and downs that defined Cash’s music and his life. It tells of his infamous childhood where he struggled with his father after an accident killed his older brothers. The film shows how he made his move into music and his early encounters with drugs, which would come to demonize a good portion of his younger life.
Walk the Line also beautifully tells of the budding relationship with Johnny Cash and June Carter, as Cash leaves his first wife and goes for the woman who helps pull him out of his drug-riddled despair.
Johnny Cash was known by fans for his driving freight-train chords, steel-eyed intensity and a voice as dark as the night. Cash is credited as a music icon because he creaeted one of the more unique and distinctive vocal sounds the rock world has ever known. Walk the Line is not just a story about Cash and Carter, it is an inspiring true story of one man’s unwavering devotion to his sound, his message and the greatest love of his life.
Walk the Line is a movie that you can watch over and over again. The music in the movie is amazing and if you get tired of the story, you can still appreciate the brilliant sound. Pheonix and Witherspoon have great on screen chemistry and this was one of Phoenix’s last movies before he transitioned into his most recent phase in life that could best be described as ‘weird’.
You don’t really even have to like Johnny Cash or his music to appreciate the inspiring story of a prominent celebrity dealing with drugs, who is led out of tribulation by his true love.
Walk the Line Blu-ray special features include:
- Directors Commentary by James Mangold
More Man in Black: 10 Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director James Mangold
Extended Musical Sequences
Rock and Roll Ruby Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, Reese Witherspoon as June Carter
Cocaine Blues Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash
Folsom, Cash and the Comeback
Celebrating the Man in Black: The Making of Walk the Line
Ring of Fire: The Passion of Johnny and June
Walk the Line Blu-ray Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews
